The present invention relates generally to rotary circuit breakers and, more particularly, to an improved arcing contact arrangement for rotary breakers.
Rotary-type circuit breakers are known. A common problem encountered with such devices is the contact wear resulting from the arcing generated when the contacts are separated (tripped) under power. The intense temperature generated between contacts from the arcing results in erosion of the contact faces, which it is particularly problematic with respect to the movable contact which is necessarily less durable due to weight constraints imposed to allow the rotary bridge to rotate quickly. The movable contacts generally erode much more than the stationary contacts, necessitating replacement of the circuit breaker. There is therefore a need for a rotary-type circuit breaker which will greatly reduce the wear on the physical contact surfaces of the contacts and more particularly the movable contacts.